Mechanical rosary



Jan. 16, J. L ROGUS MECHANICAL ROSARY Filed March 8, 1939 u 2Sheets-Sheet 1 In venor IlIlIIlIl/'l A torneys .im 16, 1940. J. L. ROGUS2,187,664

MECHANICAL ROSARY Filed March 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By MwffmmAttorneys Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICALROSARY John L. Bogus, Hazleton, Pa.

Application March 8, 1939, Serial No. 260,653

1 Claim.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in rosariessuch as are used by prayers.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mechanicalrosary which will in use eliminate the necessity of the prayer keepingcount of. the prayers by holding the successive beads.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a mechanicalrosary which will require the prayer to merely press a button upon thecompletion of each prayer with the result that the device will keepcount of the prayers said and to the end that the prayers concentrationneed not be distracted by directing intermittent attention to theplacement of his fingers on the beads of the rosary.

Other objects and advantages of the inventionV will become apparent tothe reader of the following speciiication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevational view of the device.

Figure 2 is a. front elevational view with the window removed and a partin section.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing certain partsin elevation.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the case with the mechanism removed. f 30Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of the ratchet wheel. c

Figure 6 is a front elevational view with parts broken away of aslightly modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that the device includes a case 5 having the side walls 6and the bottom Wall 1. Numeral 8 represents a transparent lid which canbe suitably secured over the open top of the case 5. The top 8 can havethe painted or otherwise opaque portion a and the centrally locatedpainted or otherwise opaque portion b, leaving the annular clear portionc through which the annular arrangement of beads or elements simulatingbeads and denoted by numeral 9 can be seen, these elements 9 beinglocated on the frame or dial plate I0. The dial plate I0 is formed withopenings through which the bolts I2 are disposed, these bolts beingthreaded into the bottom 'l of the case 5. The bolts have spacers I3thereon for spacing the plate III from the bottom 'I of the case 5.

The plate I0 has the `centrally located opening Il upwardly throughwhich extends the stub shaft I5, the lower end of fwhich is threadedlydisposed as at i6 into a threaded opening in the bottom l.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft or bolt I5 is the ratchet wheel I1 whichhas a tapered hub I8 for wedged arrangement into the collar I3 and thiscollar I9 carries the laterally disposed pointer 20 which terminates ata point underlying the clear portion c of the top 8 and is cooperativewith the bead-like elements 9, the circular line of which terminates inthe representation 2l of a crucifix.

The opening Il in the dial plate I0 accommodates the collar I9 andbetween the collar I9 and the head of the bolt I5 is the coiledcompression spring 22. A rib 23 rises from the bottom 1 of the case 5and is adapted to be lightly struck by the radially disposed anddepending ribs 24 on the bottom of the ratchet wheel I1.

As shown in Figure 2, one side wall 6 of the case 5 has a lug 25extending inwardly therefrom and apertured to slidably receive the rod2B, which has thestop collar 21 thereon. Between the stop collar 21 andthe lug 25 is the coiled compression spring 28.

A knob or button 29 is slidably disposed against the said side wall 6and has the stem 39 extending therefrom and through the slot 3| in theside wall. The rod 26 is secured to or merges with the stem 30 andcarries the strip spring member 32 which bears against the pawl 33, theao latter being pivotally secured as at 3l to the inner end of the stem30. The stem 30 has the fixed collar 35 thereon to limit outwardmovement of the stem 30.

It can be seen that the catch 36 operates against the ratchet wheel I'Ito prevent return of the ratchet wheel while the pawl 33 is in action.

Obviously, the device can be manufactured very small, for instance inthe size of a prayer book, it desired, and the button 29 can be operatedby the thumb of the hand holding the device. However, it is to beunderstood that this device can be manufactured in any size desired. Itcan be .manufactured in quite large sizes for use in churches or usebefore an entire congregation.

As the button 29 is pushed, each push will feed the indicator hand 20one bead 9, and when the indicator hand 20 has moved to a pointcompleting one decade, one of the ribs 24 will ride over the single rib23 on the bottom 'l of the shell 5 o tion the case Il is formed with anarcuate-shaped slot or sight opening I9, and instead of having therosary carrier fixed as in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1,the representation 40 oi' the rosary is carried by a rotor such as adisk Il.. In this form of the invention the indicating hand or pointeris denoted by numeral l2 and is nxed. This pointer 42 is carried by thebar I3 which is provided with enlarged end portions Il suitably boltedin position as at 45. In this form of the invention the rosary carryingdisk 4l is suitably secured to the shaft I5 and rotates with the shaftl5 and ratchet I1. (See Figures 2 and 3.)

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specicterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is A mechanicalrosary comprising a case, a front dial for the case, said dial beingstationarily mounted and formed with a centralized opening, a fixedshaft in the case projecting through the opening, a ratchet wheelslidably and rotatably mounted on the shaft, ratchet means for drivingthe ratchet wheel, a collar mounted for movement with the ratchet wheel,a pointer extending from said collar, spring means interposed betweenoneend portion of the shaft and the collar, said ratchet wheel beingprovided with radially disposed ribs, and a stationary rib member in thepath of the rst mentioned ribs,`said collar being i yieldable againstthe tension of. the spring to permit the rib members on the wheel tosnap over the stationary' rib and produce annunciation.

JOHN L. ROGUS.

